Recognizing the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reminds us about the importance of actively dismantling systemic racism, the root causes of racial inequities and injustices and how this impacts the delivery of municipal programs and services.

While the apartheid system in South Africa and its pass laws—similar to the Pass System which restricted the movement of First Nations people off reserves in Canada for over 60 years—have been dismantled, the legacy of racially discriminatory histories, laws, policies and practices continue to shape the lives of Indigenous, Black and diverse Racialized Peoples in Canada.

The City of Calgary has worked collaboratively to combat racism for many years, including the initiation of the Calgary Cultural and Racial Diversity Task Force in 2001 and becoming a signatory of the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination (now known as Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities) in 2006. These task force members built an important foundation for the future anti-racism work being done today. 

Today, The City of Calgary works with community groups and individuals committed to allyship and racial equity, as well as Indigenous, Black and diverse Racialized community leaders focused on racial justice. The City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Action Committee is an avenue for community voices to be heard in a governance capacity. This ensures that the community is always reflected in the work of eliminating racial discrimination in The City’s programs, services, policies and systems. We also have a dedicated team working to advance The City’s Anti-Racism Strategic Plan. 

Canada’s history of racial discrimination is long and complex and originates in colonialism. When early European settlers came to Canada, they established systems and institutions that excluded and discriminated against Indigenous Peoples. Policies and systems like the Indian Act, reserve system, pass system, residential schools, and day schools, to name a few, forcibly removed Indigenous Peoples from their land, dismantled Indigenous social, cultural, political, and educational systems and infringed on Indigenous self-governance.   

As Black people and other diverse Racialized groups arrived in Canada, as enslaved people and labourers, racial discrimination shaped their experiences. These groups have faced racial violence, discriminatory laws and practices (e.g. immigration restrictions), as well as racial segregation, as they were barred from entering pools, bars, theatres, schools, etc. They were also blocked from joining certain professions, attending certain educational institutions and from working for the government (provincial and federal), while being forced to work menial jobs where they were paid less than their White colleagues for the same work.   

Despite this history of racial discrimination, Indigenous, Black and diverse Racialized Peoples, along with their allies have consistently fought to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination to gain more rights for themselves and other Canadians. With Canada’s history being filled with stories and legacies of both resilience and resistance to racial discrimination, let’s look at some contemporary examples within our own city.